The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-30
It Does Not Affect the Postal Service. and Rail-
way Companies Can Extend Customary
Courtesies to Department Employees.
Secretary Endicott Interferes in Mat
ters Concerning General Sheridan,
And Lively Correspondence Is Expected TO-
Follow-The President Anxious to Secure.
Second Term-W Washington Notes.
THE INTERSTATE LAW.

Attorney General Garland Holds that It VIII
Work No Change in the Postal Service.
WASHINGTON, March 29--The Postmaster
general has issued the following circular, ad-
dressed to division superintendents and inspect
ors and other officials and employees Of the rail-
way mail service:
''The attention of the department has been in
vited by the officers of many railroad companies
to the interstatecommerce act, with inquiry
how far those provisions which they have deemed
restrictive of free travel affect persons or en-
poyes of the postal service The correspond
enee has almost universally contained expires.
sions of willingness to continue the facilities
heretofore afforded unless such course be in
contravention of law. In order to the satsfac5
tory exposition Of this point, the opinion OF tbN
Attorney general was solicited whether thEre
be anything in the act which prohibits the pfac-
tices heretofore prevailing. The Attorney gen.
erals opinion is that the interstate act does not
affect the postal service, but Is in regulation OF
commerce only. and concludes as follows:
s the act does not include the mail service In ita
provisions of the lawful customary and heces.
sary instrumentates by which that service is
Quoted subjected to the law Among the lawful,
customary and necessary 1nstrunaentalities for
efficient, consistent and successful conduct ct the
service, the Postoice Department is authorized by
law to send officers agents and clerks of the govern
n,ent to take charge of, protect and Distribute the
mails and search for and investigate frauds
or crimes relating to them Persons thus employed
when in the line of duty or when in pursuance there
of, going to returning from their places of resi-
dence while in the performance of service to OF
from their assigned line of duty in the ordinary and
customary of administration of the service,
should be regarded in the performance of official
labors and unaffected by the provisions of the act
''This authoritative Interpretation relieves all
railroad companies employed in carrying the
| mails from any risk of violation of the statute
| by continuance of the courteous methods of in
tercourse and business heretofore prevailing be-
| tween the department and the railroad compan-
| les. 1t should. perhaps be added. by way of
| information, that the transportation given to
| inspectors upon the commission of the depart
| ment and to postal clerks in the line of their
! duty is not free travel but by the law and regu-
latiOns constitutes part Of the service paid for in
| the mileage compensation to railroad companies.
| Inspectors and postal clerks who may be re.
| quired by any mail contractor to pay fare when
travelling official duty will take a receipt for
the same and report the facts to the department,
| that the amount may be deducted from the
carriers compensation, according to long-estab
| lshed usage"